Volvo’s S60 looks gorgeous

THE ASIAN AGE

Published : Jun 25, 2018, 3:00 pm IST

Updated : Jun 25, 2018, 2:59 pm IST

There’s nothing unusual about the car, it’s typically Volvo in every way imaginable.

Volvo’s first-ever production facility in the US has served up the third-generation model of the S60. This will be the same place from where all the following units of the sedan and the upcoming new-generation XC90 will be borne out of.

Volvo’s first-ever production facility in the US has served up the third-generation model of the S60. This will be the same place from where all the following units of the sedan and the upcoming new-generation XC90 will be borne out of.

There’s nothing unusual about the car, it’s typically Volvo in every way imaginable. And, first things first, we LOVE the way it looks! We mean, look at it! It’s easily among the best looking luxury sedans on the market right now, with its crisp character lines, that low stance, and the classic long nose and short rump design. Of course, there’s Volvo’s trademark “Thor’s Hammer” daytime running lamps (DRLs) too, along with the traditional C-shaped tail lamps. Yes, it does look like a scaled down S90 from a few angles, but that isn't really a bad thing, is it?

It's playing the size card on its rivals, too. Compared to the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the Audi A4, the new S60 is longer, wider and has a longer wheelbase as well. Here's a quick look at the numbers:

The interior you see pictured above is the R-Design variant's cabin, that's meant to look sporty. The Momentum and the Inscription variants, on the other hand, get a beige heavy cabin that's pictured below. We have a hunch Volvo will opt for the latter, considering how much our market loves beige. Which one do you like better? Let us know!

The cabin will invoke a sense of deja vu if you’ve been inside the new XC60. It looks nearly identical, with a large vertically placed 9-inch touchscreen dominating the dashboard. You also get expected goodies such as a 12.3-inch TFT display in place of the dials, powered seats, 4-zone climate control and a Bowers and Wilkins audio system. Will all of these features make their way to India? We've got enough reasons to believe so. As we've seen with vehicles such as the XC60, the V90 Cross Country or even the upcoming XC40 for that matter, Volvo doesn't really skimp on features.

Also, we can’t talk Volvo without talking safety, can we?. So, here goes. The new S60 is packed with all the geeky tech you’d want. This includes blind spot detection, lane assist, and Pilot Assist (where the car practically drives itself!). Again, these are features we're expecting to be on offer in the India-spec car as well.

The new S60 is based on Volvo's modular SPA platform that also underpins practically every car in its range, save for the XC40. And remember how we told you Volvo was going green? Here's a strong signal of intent. The diesel engine has been booted out of the lineup, and you get a single 2.0-litre petrol engine instead. But, don't let that make you think there's a lack of choice. In the base-spec T5 trim, the motor is turbocharged and develops 250PS of power and 350Nm of torque that's sent to the front wheels. Move up to the T6, and you're looking at 310PS and 400Nm of go-power, paired with AWD.

Then come the twin-charged T6 Twin Engine and T8 Engine, that are turbocharged, supercharged and get some additional electric ponies. These plug-in hybrids feature a 10.4kWh battery pack and a 65kW motor. This not only makes it greener (it can go upto 43km on electric power alone), but the additional torque from the electric motor (upto 240Nm) makes it quicker too! The T6 Twin Engine is good for 340PS, whereas the T8 Twin Engine develops a mind-boggling 400PS and 640Nm. If those figures haven't caused you to roll eyes yet, there's more! There’s a naughty version of the top-spec T8 called the “Polestar Engineered” that’s tuned to deliver 415PS and 670Nm. This variant also gets bigger brakes and reworked Ohlins shocks to back up all that power.

Obvious questions - is it coming to India? When? How much? While it’s too early to be talking of timelines, we’re guessing Volvo should bring it to India by early next year. Engine options should include the T5 petrol considering rivals such as the 330i M Sport and the XE 25t have similar headline numbers. We wouldn’t mind a pleasant surprise from Volvo, though! The manufacturer has been sensible in pricing their products in India, so we’re expecting this one to retail at Rs 45 lakh (ex-showroom).